In the first place, I have never cared for taking presents in money, but I have never refused jewels; and what with Rajahs and Nabobs and Ministers that one had helped or done a good turn to somehow, a good deal came to me that way.
"Then I always made a point of carrying money with me, and after a defeat of the enemy or a successful siege, there was always lots of loot, and the soldiers were glad enough to sell anything in the way of jewels for a tithe of their value in gold.

I should say if I put the value of the jewels at 50,000 pounds I am not much wide of the mark.
That is all right, there is no bother about them; the trouble came from a diamond bracelet that I got from a soldier.

We were in camp near Tanjore.

I was officer of the day.

I had made my rounds, and was coming back to my quarters, when I saw a soldier coming out of a tent thirty or forty yards away.